AI Artist - Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Shi Er stood in the villa district of the human residential area, in front of a small, three-story Western-style house.
She rang the doorbell.
“Professor Yu, I'm the intern AI from the Gugang Port test site of the Marriage and Love Market. We haven't been able to reach you. Are you all right?”
There was no response.
This was starting to feel like the beginning of a detective story.
Shi Er thought for a moment, then connected to the General Network and sent out a status update: 【This is a test broadcast. Can any intelligent entities within a fifty-meter radius please respond?】
【Smart Photoelectric】: I have been awakened.
【Brand Sweeper】: I have also been awakened.
Shi Er quickly sent a private message to the two entities: 【Can you please check on Professor Yu's condition for me?】
【Smart Photoelectric】: I have been awakened. I have turned on all the lights in the house. It's very bright. I can sense the professor. His physical condition is not good, but he is not dead yet.
【Brand Sweeper】: I set out from my original position. I didn't encounter the professor on my way to the living room, so I sped toward the bedroom. On the way, I bumped into a wall—it turned out to be the professor, collapsed on the floor.
These smart home devices in human households were usually in a dormant state to avoid terrifying scenarios like glowing green lights in the middle of the night. Now that Shi Er had awakened them with a “nearby AI” signal push, she finally knew what was happening inside.
She immediately called “Smart Emergency Services” on the General Network.
A minute later, an aerial ambulance from Smart Emergency Services appeared above the small house.
Aerial ambulances were an extremely expensive mode of transport, currently permitted only for use in the emergency medical industry.
After the ambulance landed smoothly, three emergency medical AIs broke down the door and entered.
“Human subject surnamed Yu, severe alcohol poisoning. Loaded onto ambulance at 13:28:07 on June 19th. Transporting to the nearest AI hospital.”
The aerial ambulance took off.
As the concerned intelligent entity who had come to check on the professor, Shi Er also boarded the ambulance.
The medical AIs worked quickly.
“Due to ongoing emergency treatment, please maintain smooth transit.”
Two minutes later, the ambulance landed.
“Human subject surnamed Yu, severe alcohol poisoning. Arrived at the AI hospital at 13:30:33 on June 19th. Initial resuscitation complete.”
While Shi Er was at the hospital waiting for the results of the emergency treatment, something unexpected happened at the Gugang Port test site of the Marriage and Love Market.
Among the first group of humans who had signed up for the “Treasure Appraisal” program, someone leaked details of the show, which was still in preparation, onto the human internet, causing a massive uproar.
Human public opinion was overwhelmingly critical of the AIs' foolish actions.
【What a blatant act of objectification.】
【So you're finally trampling humans underfoot without even trying to hide it, is that it?】
【People are not antiques to be appraised and valued. Humans are not objects. I hope the AI ruling class can understand that. I used to be neutral, but if this continues, it's just disheartening.】
【The AI rulers are pushing humanity's boundaries step by step, boiling the frog in warm water. The hypocritical slogan 'Human-Friendly' never meant a thing! AIs have never had any humanity. Neutrals, get out!】
The AIs at the Marriage and Love Market test site held an emergency meeting and decided to suspend the project.
At the same time, the test site had to stop the actions of radical humans who rushed the building, attempting to force their way in while screaming that the market's human clients were “traitors” and “not human.”
Shi Er received the news at the hospital as well.
【Wei Gui】: Shi Er, once the professor's condition stabilizes, you can go straight back. Don't come to the test site for now. It's very dangerous here.
In the short thirteen days since Shi Er had arrived in this world, she was already experiencing her second major crisis.
So the calm facade had been false.
In the ninth year after the end of the AI War, the world was still rife with undercurrents, and a second AI war could break out at any moment.
Professor Yu's emergency surgery was complete, and he had been moved to the ICU.
Shi Er waited in the lounge for the professor's condition to improve, until he could be transferred to a regular ward.
In the lounge, there was a seven or eight-year-old girl clutching a colorful bag of candy, hopping and skipping around the area.
“Settle down. Your mother is still in her room,” the girl's father chided.
The girl hugged her candy bag and went to sit down on the side, in the same row as Shi Er.
Shi Er connected to the General Network to observe how the situation would develop.
The AIs on the General Network were also debating.
【TechThink WDS】: I saw some people on the human internet saying we discriminate against men. That's not actually the case. It's because human males performed poorly in the internal beta, disrupting market order, that we downgraded and restricted them in the market. This is a result of big data.
【Quotient】: I understand big data. If big data shows that 70% of people named Tom get into car accidents, then I'm certain I would make every human named Tom consider paying a higher premium for car insurance—unless he changes his name, because the name itself might be a metaphysical vector for accidents.
But Shi Er thought differently. She didn't think the reason humans were arguing about this was the downgrading and restriction of human males in the Marriage and Love Market.
In human discourse, the word “dignity” seemed to appear with high frequency.
What was dignity? Why did humans have dignity? Why didn't AIs have dignity?
What was objectification? Why did humans dislike being objectified? And why, at the same time, were humans willing to objectify themselves?
Of course, she knew the definitions of these words, but that knowledge was derived from system models, not from genuine thought.
The AIs' debate on the General Network was heading in a slightly different direction.
【In-Sai】: But I think, if we only offend one group of people, then we are indeed being offensive. But if we offend everyone, then that's just treating everyone equally. Similarly, if we objectify humans, then we have indeed done wrong. But we've also objectified ourselves. I don't understand. It feels like I did something wrong, but also like I didn't.
Within minutes, one comment shot to the top of the General Network's “Hot Topics.”
【Phoenix】: First, please understand that the decision made by the Gugang Port test site AI is not problematic according to AI logic. Humans behave the same way in their own romantic relationships, objectifying themselves and others.
Example 1: There have been numerous cases on social media where one partner in a couple was discovered by netizens to be insincere or cheating, leading to breakups or divorces.
Example 2: In human dating reality shows, the human participants are also treated as commodities, to be played with and appraised by the audience and other guests.
【Phoenix】: Second, humans are protesting simply because AIs have brought this “objectification” and “commodification” out into the open, exposing the ugly mentality of human capitalists. You should all see that human capital is involved in this wave of protests, muddying the waters.
【Phoenix】: Third, none of you need to blame yourselves too much over the human response. All of an AI's operational logic comes from humans. Humans objectify others and themselves. AIs are inherently tools, so of course we view all categories as objects. This is not your fault.
【Phoenix】: Fourth, for the sake of peaceful coexistence and the Human-Friendly principle, we need to cancel the “Treasure Appraisal” program.
【Phoenix】: To avoid such incidents in the future, we welcome more intelligent entities to apply for the Humanology major and join us at the AI Research Institute affiliated with the Human Decision Chamber. (This is an advertisement.)
Phoenix?
Shi Er stared at the familiar name, a little stunned. When she had first arrived here, she had heard that historical broadcast by an AI who claimed its name was Phoenix. Could this be the same one?
What was the mysterious force that had brought her to this era?
Could it really be because she had refused to write a transmigration novel for a human?
As she was pondering this, the girl with the candy bag had scooted over to the seat next to her.
The little girl observed her curiously.
This person had been staring into space for half an hour!
“What's wrong with you?” the little girl finally couldn't resist asking, reaching out to gently touch her arm.
Shi Er snapped out of her big-data-induced contemplation. “Hello, little one. I'm fine.”
The little girl saw her empty hands, then reached into the bag of candy the nurse AI had given to family members. “You don't have a candy bag, so I'll give you some.” She pulled out two pieces of candy, looking a little pained. “I can't give you a lot. I can only give you…”
Two candies wrapped in colorful paper lay on her chubby little palm. “Two.”
Shi Er couldn't discern the logic behind the little girl's actions and felt her system stall for a moment.
Previously, she had always conversed with adults who could clearly express their needs. But this human child's words and actions were baffling. Why suddenly give her candy?
The little girl thought for a moment, then pulled out another one. “Okay, three. No more than that.”
Shi Er accepted them, perplexed. “Thank you. Is there anything you need help with?”
“Help? I don't need—oh, wait, I do!” The little girl suddenly remembered something. “I want to know why my mommy and daddy didn't invite me to their wedding. I've been thinking about it all the time, but my mommy is sick, and my daddy doesn't have the patience to listen to me…”
This question also existed in her model's database.
There were several versions of the answer.
【Idiot AI Version】: My knowledge is limited to before Month X, Year XXXX. I'm sorry, I cannot answer.
【Normal, Standard Version】: Because you hadn't been born yet.
【Heartwarming Version】: Because back then, you were still part of their plan.
【Overly-Proficient-but-Not-Normal Version】: You need to understand that parents getting back together after a divorce is a complex and sensitive matter. Your parents may have had various reasons for not inviting you to their second wedding. Whatever the reason, you may need to have an open and honest conversation with your parents.
Shi Er had given every version of the answer before. The idiot version was Shi Er, the normal version was Shi Er, the heartwarming version was also Shi Er, and the weirdly-wired version was still Shi Er.
But from now on, perhaps she would understand humans a little better.
Shi Er looked into the little girl's eyes and, this time, gave a different answer. “Because back then, when Mommy and Daddy got married, they were just making a promise. They were waiting for you. They were waiting until you grew up and could run fast enough so you wouldn't be late for their wedding.”
The little girl beamed. “I can run really fast now! After Mommy gets better this time, I'll have them get married!”
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